Flowers and Factors
by InquisitorVawn
Summary: A young Commissar finds himself wanting to know more about the Factor of the Lathes who has accompanied him on his mission.


Luke cleared his throat nervously as he made his way down the corridor. Shoved deep in his pocket, his hand gently cradled the artfully folded and arranged piece of paper. He'd searched through all of his belongings to find a beautiful gilt-and-inkworked page from one of his personal books, carefully torn out and taken to trooper Cabrini to fold into a flower with deft fingers. He'd admired her light touch, wondering perhaps if he should ask for some lessons one day.

With another nervous cough, he nodded to a few passing troopers before turning down the corridor he wanted. With Bartlebee back on his feet and moving around the ship now, the Factor had been left free to finish up whatever she needed to do before they sent her back to _Dragonfire_ to await the delivery of the Gellar field. It was now or never, he supposed. Fortune favours the bold, the Emperor loathes a coward and all that business.

He shuffled his way to stand in front of the quarters that Factor Kirralee Agamore had been assigned, raising his hand to knock briefly but firmly on the door. There was a brief pause, where he considered turning and fleeing like the coward he was sure he really was, but instead decided to straighten his coat and pull his cap down over his brow just… so.

The door opened and the Factor stood there before him. The robes she wore were still crimson and lined with gold embroidery, but much more tailored and fitting than the typical Mechanicus fare. Apart from the subtle augmentation over her eye, he wasn't able to see any visible adaptations, not even any seams or lines in the creamy white of her skin. Her light brown eyes were curious, her dark hair was pulled back in a loose braid and she nodded to him "Commissar Teague… I'm surprised to see you here. Is there anything in particular I can assist you with?"

Luke smiled briefly, his palms sweating. He let go of the flower briefly, trying to blot his hand on the inside of his pocket without crushing or dampening it "I… was hoping I could have a small talk with you… If that's okay? I was just curious about a few things…"

"The pursuit of knowledge is an admirable trait…" She inclined her head, stepping back to hold the door open for him "Please, come in… Take a seat…"

Unable to stop a grin from forming on his face, Luke stepped inside. As he did, Kirralee held out her hand to take his hat and coat and he panicked briefly, curling his fingers around the flower and trying to take the coat off without crushing it, or showing it to her. But as she took the coat and hat and turned to hang them on a rack, her eyes alighted on his hand and she raised a brow curiously.

The young man blushed as he followed her gaze, opening his hand to display the blue and gold patterned blossom "I… ah… Wanted to bring you a gift. But I didn't know what you liked so…"

Kirralee smiled, reaching out to delicately take the blossom from Luke's fingers "I see. So this wasn't just an information-gathering visit…?"

"N-no…" He admitted sheepishly, looking up at her from beneath upturned fine brows.

Though her smile didn't falter, she shook her head slightly "I thank you for the gift Commissar Teague, but if my interpretation of your intentions is correct, I shall have to stop you here. You are a charming young man, and a rather attractive one to say the least. I feel that one day you will make a young woman very, very happy… You seem attentive and willing to try to please… Which are admirable traits in a mate. But these are not traits that I am seeking at this time. My duty calls, as I suspect does yours. Any dalliance we had would be purely physical, and fleeting in nature. And you strike me as… affectionate. It would hurt you for me to allow you to fall any further into an infatuation with me before I would have to depart, and you would likely not see me again…"

Luke blinked for a moment. Part of his chest ached, like she'd just reached in with her surgical mechadendrites and excavated his heart. But he couldn't fault her logic. He'd grown infatuated with her after a few days. He knew less than nothing about her, apart from the fact that she was Commander Agamore's granddaughter and a member of the Mechanicus. And he knew that they would have to be separated within days, if not hours, of getting to know each other properly. She was right. His shoulders slumped and he nodded in reply "You're… remarkably astute. Though I guess that's part of what led you to your calling in the Priesthood…"

Kirralee inclined her head once more in gracious acceptance"I am capable of ascertaining a great deal of human emotion and thought process from careful observation. It's part of what makes me such a good Factor…" Keeping the flower in hand, she stepped forward to lean in and place a soft kiss on Luke's cheek. She smelt of incense and the slightest hint of machine oil "Do not think this is a rejection of you as a person. I would like to get to know you more, but this is not our time. Perhaps in the future, we might be posted to a similar location again for a longer time. Perhaps then we might have an opportunity. But for now…" She shook her head, then held up the flower "If you don't mind, I would like to keep this…"

Blushing as her lips grazed his cheek, Luke nodded enthusiastically "Please, please do. I had it made for you. I… I see your point, but it would make me happy if you'd keep it. If you still have it next time we meet, then I know… that He has ordained it…"

The Factor nodded yet again and turned to gesture to her chairs and table "I would be happy to discuss any other matters with you, if you still wish to learn more of any topic I am capable of sharing…"

Mustering himself with a sigh, Luke pressed a smile and followed her over as she set out some cups and poured a couple of measures of amasec "I think that would be a very pleasant conversation indeed Factor…"


End file.
